Marvel Adventures: Dragonborn
…
Voice Cast:
Kari Wahlgren as Emma Frost
Erica Lindbeck as Felicia Hardy/Black Cat
Natalie Dormer as Red Sonja
Keeley Hawes as Betsy Braddock/Psylocke
Summer Glau as Laura Kinney/X-23
Richard Armitage as Dragonborn/Dovahkiin
Candice Swanepoel as Vault 76 Resident Aurora Rose
And introducing Behati Prinsloo as Vault 76 Resident Bella Dubois
…
Chapter 4: Fertile Soil Part I
Dragonborn walked on ahead as the others semi-ran to catch up to him. "Wait up!" Betsy called out after him. Dragonborn halted and waited for everyone else to catch up to him.
"Good grief, could you slow down?" Emma asked him. "It's not as though it's a race!" she told him.
"You do know there is a plague out there, right?" Dragonborn reminded the blonde mutant who then had an irritated look on her face and replied, "Of course I know that! But we won't be able to stop the plague if you keep going on ahead all the time, leaving us behind."
Dragonborn grunted in response, but he waited for everyone to catch their breath. "Everyone ready?" he asked them and without even waiting for a response, he marched ahead.
"By the Goddess! He is impossible!" Sonja cursed as she and the others then ran after Dragonborn. Nearing the armoured man, Sonja latched onto his right arm and pulled him back. Emma latched onto Dragonborn's left arm, and together they managed to slow Dragonborn down to a more reasonable walking speed.
"What are you doing?" Dragonborn asked as he looked at Sonja and Emma holding his arms.
"Making you keep pace with us," Emma told him, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Very well," Dragonborn replied, and he began to walk slower. Emma shared a small smile of triumph with the others as they had somehow made the warrior slow his walking speed to match theirs.
"So, what can you tell us about Appalachia?" Felicia then asked Aurora. "What happened to it? Or to the world for that matter?"
"Well, a little over 25 years ago, America was at war with China," Aurora began, and she then proceeded to tell everyone what she knew of America while growing up in Vault 76. The others were horrified to learn that America had been bombed by Communist China in a struggle in the Sino-American War which was founded on a struggle for resources after decades of consumption had led to shortages on major resources. America also had its own problems as well, with many industries switching to automation on an unprecedented level which in turn laid off many workers. That in turn caused civil unrest which came in the form of protests and workers riots which were met with almost disproportionate reprimanding.
Then finally, on October twenty-second in the year 2077, China had launched one final attack on America, using a scorched earth tactic of launching nuclear bombs over major cities and states on American soil. For those fortunate enough to be selected, a corporation known as Vault-Tec had built massive underground shelters called Vaults that would house American citizens fortunate enough to allowed entry into those Vaults where they would remain until the All Clear was given.
"So, you were born in Vault 76?" Betsy asked Aurora who nodded and said, "My mother was pregnant around the time the bombs fells."
"Where is your mother now?" Emma asked.
Aurora had a downcast look on her face as she said, "She died of complications giving birth to me."
"I'm… sorry," Emma said regretfully. "I wouldn't have asked if I knew that would be your answer," she added.
"It's fine. I… never really knew my mother," Aurora said softly. "I don't even know who my father is either," she added.
"Hm. A shame," Betsy said kindly. "Was there anyone to raise you while you were growing up in the Vault?" she asked gently.
"I was kinda raised by everyone in the Vault," Aurora said. "And I grew up with some other kids born in the Vault as well," she added.
"Such as your friend Bella?" Emma asked and Aurora nodded.
"Yeah. Bella's been my best friend ever since we grew up together in the Vault."
"Anything you can tell us about her?" Felicia asked.
"She's got chocolate brown hair and hazel green eyes, and she's… a bit of a flirt," Aurora said with a chuckle. "She got into a lot of trouble flirting with guys and even girls in the Vault," she added.
"Should we be worried?" Felicia asked humorously.
"Well, as far as I've known Bella's never done anything more than flirt or kiss," Aurora said. "So, I'll bet when she sees Mr Dragonborn here, she might just make a pass at him," she added.
"Pass?" Dragonborn echoed. "What does that mean?" he asked.
Everyone looked at Dragonborn as though he had sprouted another head and before Emma could say anything a British accented voice interrupted them.
"Alert! Potential source of compost found." A hovering over towards was a machine that had three arms and three eye sensors and a spherical body. The metal of its body was an earthy brown colour and a farmer's hat was on top its body. The machine was held afloat by a small jet of intense flame.
"A robot?" Betsy said in wonder.
"That's a Mr Farmhand," Aurora said. "They were built by General Atomics to assist in farming duties," she added. "What's one doing out here?" she asked.
"Please stand still," the robot said as it raised one of its three arms. On the end of the arm was a small circular saw blade that began to spin and buzz threateningly. It moved towards Laura and tried to swipe its sawblade at her. Laura avoided the swing in time and clenched her hands ready to unsheathe her claws.
However, Dragonborn got the robot first by shouting three loud words at it.
"FUS… RO DAH!"
A great cone of near invisible blue tinted energy was expelled from Dragonborn's mouth and the robot was sent flying back where it crashed against a tree in a mangled twisted heap of scrap metal and circuitry.
"What the- how the hell did you do that?!" Aurora shouted as she looked at Dragonborn who simply said, "The Thu'um."
"Foom? What the hell's the Foom?" Aurora asked.
"It's a power Dragonborn has," Emma answered Aurora's question. "We too have powers as well," she said.
"What… What kind of powers?" Aurora asked cautiously.
"Betsy and I have the power of telepathy, or at least we did until Sheogorath did something to inhibit it," Emma replied. "But one power I still have is the ability to turn into a flexible organic diamond form," she said and she then shifted into her diamond state.
"In-Incredible!" Aurora exclaimed as she looked at Emma's diamond body.
"I have the power to generate a sword of pure psychic energy," Betsy said as she summoned her psi-blade to her hand.
"Wow! What can it cut through?" Aurora asked as she looked at the glowing violet blade in Betsy's hand.
"At its lowest level, it can disrupt neural pathways in the human body, but at its highest it can practically cut through anything, barring certain substances like adamantium," Betsy said.
"Adamantium?" Aurora repeated.
"Laura has a healing factor and adamantium claws, but we don't know if Sheogorath inhibited those abilities," Betsy said. "But one power Laura does have is the ability to track people via scent. She's got a nose better than a bloodhound," she added.
"What about you two?" Aurora asked looking at Sonja and Felicia.
"Me? Besides being a beautiful badass, I have a bad luck power," Felicia said.
"Bad luck power?" Aurora said. "You… cause bad luck to people?" she asked.
"Yep. Comes in real useful in a fight," Felicia said. "Although I can't really control it," she added.
Aurora then looked at Sonja who said, "I was blessed by the Goddess to have strength and prowess at arms on the condition that I lay with no man unless he bests me in combat."
"That's a pretty weird oath to make," Aurora remarked dryly. "Must be a heck of a dry spell," she said lightly.
"I know," Sonja said with a grumble.
"So, you all have powers and abilities. How did you get them?" Aurora asked.
"Betsy, Laura and I are mutants," Emma said. "Our powers often come about during puberty through the X-Gene," she explained.
"X-Gene? I've never heard of that before," Aurora said. "I'd heard stories that if you were exposed to enough radiation, you could potentially mutate," she added.
"Pure myth where we're from," Betsy said. "There are some substances that can grant mutations or trigger dormant X-Genes in your DNA, but the whole radiation giving you superpowers is just a myth."
Aurora nodded at this and she looked at Dragonborn and asked, "And how did you get your powers?"
Dragonborn hummed in thought before replying, "Being Dovahkiin means I was born with the Dragon-blood gifted to me by Akatosh the Father of Dragons."
"So, what? You were chosen to be a hero?" Aurora asked.
"I don't consider myself a hero. Just someone very good at killing things that can't be killed," Dragonborn said casually.
"I see." Aurora swallowed a lump in her throat. The Vault Dweller then looked at Felicia and asked, "How did you get your bad luck power? Were you born with it?"
"One could say I asked to have powers," Felicia said noncommittally. "I was looking to keep up with someone and a few procedures later, I got my bad luck juju," she added.
Aurora made to asked another question when Felicia held up a hand to stop her. "Trust me, you don't really wanna how I got my powers. It's kind of a long and painful story to tell." A grim bitter expression was on Felicia's face as she said those words and Aurora nodded, dropping the subject.
Dragonborn looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was beginning to descend down towards the horizon. "We're burning daylight. We need to keep moving," he said.
"Indeed. I wish we had a working car or even a carriage," Emma said dryly.
"Maybe we could get one of these rusted out hulks to work again?" Betsy asked.
"Wouldn't that be nice?" Felicia remarked as they headed down the road.
As they walked down the road, some buildings came within sight. "Look! That must be Flatwoods!" Aurora exclaimed.
"What are we waiting for then?" Betsy asked as she began to run forward. The others ran forward as well barring Emma who chose to walk as she felt it was more dignified to do so than run. And partly because she wore high-heeled boots. Dragonborn noticed Emma hanging back and he spoke to her.
"Are you alright?" Emma looked to see Dragonborn's helmeted looking at her as they both walked.
"Yes. I'm perfectly fine, thank you," the ash-blonde telepath said in a slightly snooty tone of voice.
"You'll need more practical footwear while we're here," Dragonborn then said as he and Emma walked down the road.
"I'm perfectly comfortable with my footwear, thank you," Emma said in a frosty voice.
"As you wish then," Dragonborn said speaking no more of the matter. Emma huffed as she walked beside the armoured warrior.
Soon, the pair joined the others in the town of Flatwoods where Aurora was seemingly reunited with her friend Bella.
"I can't believe you left the Vault without me!" Aurora admonished her friend. "You could have woken me up," she said.
"I said I was sorry," Bella replied. "Besides I was in such a rush that I forgot to wake you up and everyone else was already leaving the Vault as well," she said. "I'm surprised you didn't get locked in the Vault," she added.
"I know," Aurora said nodding her head and she looked to see Dragonborn and Emma walking over to them. "Bella, these are Dragonborn and Emma Frost, I met them with the others."
Bella's hazel green eyes widened a little as she gazed upon Emma and Dragonborn. Emma looked at Bella who was dressed in a navy blue overalls and a patch on the left sleeve showed a heart symbol on it.
"So, you're Bella, yes?" Emma asked in a haughty voice.
"Yeah. Bella Dubois," Bella replied. "I grew up in Vault 76 with Aurora," she said.
"A pleasure to meet you," Emma said in a somewhat uncaring voice. Bella blinked at the uncaring tone in the blonde's voice and she whispered to Aurora, "What's her deal?"
"She's like that with everyone as far as I can tell," Aurora whispered back.
Bella nodded and looked at Dragonborn. "You're a big guy, aren't you?" she remarked with a smile on her lips.
"Call me Dragonborn. Everyone does," Dragonborn said in response.
"So, what's your deal? Are you a Grognak cosplayer, or the real deal?" Bella asked.
"What is Grognak?" Dragonborn said in confusion and curiosity.
"Is he for real?" Bella asked Aurora who nodded seriously. Shaking her head slightly, Bella looked at Dragonborn again and said, "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm glad there are still some people left in Appalachia."
"Some people? What are you talking about?" Aurora asked.
"When I got here, there was no-one around. No-one living or human that is," Bella said grimly. "There are some two-headed cows wandering about, and some really freaky opossums and the robot in the church, but apart from that, there's no-one," she explained.
"And what is this you're wearing?" Aurora then asked looking at the overalls Bella was wearing.
"This? This belongs to a group called the Responders," Bella replied. "From the terminals entries I've read the Responders were EMTs, police officers, firefighters and such who banded together after the Bombs dropped," she said.
"A noble cause," Emma commented. "But where are they now?" she asked.
"I don't know," Bella admitted ashamedly. "I did some of the jobs the Responders left behind for new members to join up and now I'm a Responder, but I haven't been able to find anything else about what happened to them," she said.
Emma looked at Dragonborn and said to him, "Perhaps this Plague is what wiped them out?"
"Perhaps," Dragonborn said softly in agreement. "We won't know until we find more evidence," he added.
"Did you see where our friends went after you met them?" Emma then asked Bella who replied, "Yeah, they were gonna look around Flatwoods and see if there was something to eat around here," she said. "I think they're in the diner," she added.
"Thank you," Dragonborn said and he and Emma then headed for the diner.
"So, are you gonna tell me how you met your new friends?" Bella then asked Aurora who sighed. This was going to be difficult to explain, not to mention how unbelievable it would sound.
…
Dragonborn and Emma entered the diner where they heard noises coming within the kitchen. "Laura? Betsy? Are you there?" Emma called out.
"In here!" Betsy's voice floated out from the kitchen. Emma and Dragonborn walked into the kitchen to find Betsy fiddling with a lock of a wire fence door in a fridge. Within in the fridge on the racks were some canned goods.
"What are you doing in here?" Emma then asked.
"Trying to open this lock," Betsy said as she tried to jiggle the padlock open. "I'm not having any luck though," she added regretfully.
Dragonborn hummed before walking forward, pulling out a small thin piece of metal from his satchel. Gently moving Betsy aside, Dragonborn inserted the thinnest point of the metal stick into the lock and gently twisted and turned. After a moment, the padlock clicked open and Dragonborn opened the wire fence door. "All yours," he said to Betsy who smiled graciously and said, "Thanks for that, luv. Never knew you were handy with a lock."
"It's a useful skill to learn," Dragonborn said modestly.
"Any other useful skills you have?" Betsy asked as she gathered up the canned goods to examine them.
"I can brew potions and poisons," Dragonborn said matter-of-factly.
"A locksmith and a potion brewer, huh?" Betsy smiled. "Don't suppose you could brew up some beer, could you?" she asked jokingly.
"I could if I had the tools and materials," Dragonborn said seriously.
"Well, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for a still you could use," Betsy said. "Now, let's take a look at these." She placed the canned goods on the nearby kitchen bench and looked them over. Emma too began to examine them.
"Imitation seafood? Vegetarian ham?" Emma said with a look of revulsion on her face. "And who knows how long they've been sitting in there for? Unchilled no less," she added.
"I can easily hunt and forage for food," Dragonborn said casually.
"Luv, you keep going on like that, I'll have to drag you to the nearest bedroom and let nature take its course!" Betsy joked.
"What would nature take its course in the bedroom for?" Dragonborn asked innocently.
Betsy and Emma looked at each other uncomfortably and Emma looked at Dragonborn. "Mr Dragonborn, how much do you know of the birds and the bees, as it were?" she asked.
"Birds and bees?" Dragonborn parroted like a confused child.
Emma sighed and made say something when a loud scream coming from outside interrupted them. Dragonborn reacted instantly as he ran out of the diner drawing his sword. Upon exiting the house, he found Aurora and the others trying to fight off almost a dozen Mr Farmhand robots that were firing lasers or trying to take a swing at them with pincers and circular saws.
Dragonborn rushed forward and cut down the first Farmhand. The dark smoky blade of his sword cleaved the machine in half and Dragonborn was already on the next one booting it heavily so hard that it left a deep impression on the chassis of the automaton.
Betsy and Emma joined the fray. Betsy conjured her Psi-Katana and Emma shifted into her diamond form. Betsy sliced off the mechanical limbs of the robots while Emma punched and kicked them. Betsy sliced off all three limbs of a Farmhand and it started to glow red hot and surged towards. Dragonborn grabbed the hotly glowing robot and threw it at the nearest of its compatriots. The machine then exploded making its fellow machines explode in showers of nuts, bolts and other assorted bits of machinery.
Aurora tried to back at a Farmhand with her machete, but the implement was still too dull to cut anything properly. Bella was faring a little better as she had in her hands a pipe wrench and she smashed it against a Farmhand knocking off one of its eyestalks. Felicia landed a series of kicks on a Farmhand before she somersaulted over it and grabbed by one of its three arms and gave a brutal twist; the robotic limb snapped off and Felicia then used theseparated limb like an improvised club and flailed it against its previous owner. Sonja roared out a battle cry as she hacked at a Mr Farmhand with her sword and severed its limbs before kicking it away before it had a chance to activate itself destruct sequence. Laura used her preternatural agility to avoid incoming strikes and lasers and leapt over the Mr Farmhands. Landing like a cat, Laura surged towards the robots and landed a series of kicks on them knocking them down and Dragonborn stabbed his sword down into each of them finishing them.
As the last Farmhand was reduced to scrap metal, Dragonborn pulled his sword free from a wrecked robot and wiped the blade of his sword clean of oil and hydraulic fluid. "Is that all of them?" he asked.
"I think that's all of them," Betsy replied as she looked around. "Where the hell did these things come?" she asked.
"Bella and I received an automated message on our Pipboys just before the Mr Farmhands attacked," Aurora said. "The Farmhands programming seems to have malfunctioned and are targeting any human they see," she added with a shudder in her body.
"Can you play this message to repeat itself?" Emma asked as she shifted back to her flesh and blood form.
"I think so," Bella said as she pressed some buttons on her Pip-Boy and some words issued from the wrist computer.
"Automated warning: The Mr Farmhands are out of control. Evacuate civilians and take down the Protectoron Supervisors. Once they're down, you need to reboot the server. Again."
"Protectoron Supervisors?" Sonja said.
"No time for that now," Dragonborn stated. "We do as the message says; take them down and reboot this server," he said.
"Agreed, but where would they be coming from?" Felicia asked.
Aurora looked at her Pip-Boy and said, "They're coming from the Agricultural Farming Services down the road from here. We head there, we'll find the Supervisors."
"Sounds like a plan," Betsy said with a nod of her.
With nods of agreement, the group then headed down the road with Aurora and Bella acting as navigators and guides towards the Agricultural Farming Services.
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: There, fourth chapter of this is done and dusted. I hope you all enjoyed it. Next chapter, we'll see the ragtag group of heroes deal with the rampaging robot farmhands and their haywire supervisors, as well as find another holotape left behind by the Overseer of Vault 76 leaving another clue as to where she has gone and what has happened.
In others, I'm working on a Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice & Fire/Power Girl (DC Comics) crossover and I'm trying to decide what kind of crossover it will be. With that in mind, I've set up a voting poll on my profile showing a list of options, so feel free to leave your two cents there.
And that's about all I have at the moment, so I'll leave this here and see you all in the next one.
Be kind to one another,
Angry lil' elf.